<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>i can see the story starting to arc by prideandprjudice</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26035879">i can see the story starting to arc</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/prideandprjudice/pseuds/prideandprjudice'>prideandprjudice</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stranger Things (TV 2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Compliant, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Gen, Platonic Relationships, Platonic Soulmates, Post-Season/Series 03, they’re BEST FRIENDS babey!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 08:07:54</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,801</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26035879</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/prideandprjudice/pseuds/prideandprjudice</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>All he wants is for her to be happy, she’s his best friend, his first real friend. Steve doesn’t think Robin will ever know just how much he loves her. He’s meant to be like a hero or something, y’know, the guy that saves everyone, but if he’s being honest she was the one that saved him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Robin Buckley &amp; Steve Harrington</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>99</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>i can see the story starting to arc</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>another steve and robin friendship fic? groundbreaking. and this goes without saying if you ship them die by my blade &lt;3. this is the first st fic i’ve ever put out so, please be gentle! jskjdjsn. anyways hope you enjoy!</p><p>(oh and the title is from best friend by foster the people!)</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The clock ticks on the wall, surrounded by a collage of movie posters he and Robin had been forced to hang up a few months ago. Steve sighs, resting his chin in his hand waiting for something, <em> anything </em> to happen. </p><p>But Steve’s becoming used to how life is now. He’s okay with the slow, hazy direction his life’s taken, <em> really </em> he is. He goes to work, comes home, makes himself (and sometimes Robin) dinner, goes to sleep and gets up the next day to do it all again. Sometimes he shakes it up a little and wakes up slightly earlier to go for a morning run (he’s gotta keep in shape for the ladies, y’know?). Sometimes he sleeps in and ends up brushing his teeth and combing his hair at the same time, sprinting to his car with his family video shirt only half way on his body and his fly undone. And sometimes he doesn’t get out of bed at all. </p><p>Steve figures he’s just ended up developing something of a routine and that’s what you’re meant to do when you become an adult, right? You get a steady job, it doesn’t have to be great just has to get the bills paid. Not that he <em> has </em> any bills to be paid, but it’s something that people say a lot, he thinks (Steve <em>also</em> thinks he probably should’ve paid better attention in English Lit). </p><p>The point Steve is trying to make is- well actually he doesn’t know. Life’s just become this endless cycle of stocking shelves, placating angry, unforgiving mom’s who are for some reason pissed at <em> him </em> because Gremlins hasn’t come out on VHS yet (seriously how is that his fault?), grocery shopping because his mom isn’t really here to do it, getting high with Robin, dropping the kids to school or the arcade or whatever. And he isn’t unhappy or ungrateful or anything. He likes his life, he finally has people who love and care about him, he has purpose; after months of grasping on to his high-school self in desperation to just have <em> something</em>, he’s finally moved on and he’s happy with it all, he <em> is</em>.</p><p>Sure life is kinda quiet now and <em> yeah</em>, he feels way older than he actually is, but he’s had enough chaos and adventure to last a lifetime. Seriously, he does <em> not </em> need any more.</p><p>And, of <em> course </em>, as soon as he finishes that thought Robin sprints into family video in a frenzy, her hair wild and her eyes flashing. She makes a beeline to Steve, who's now sorting through a box of new VHS’s, bored out of his mind.</p><p>“You’re late,” Steve says smirking, looking up at Robin who’s now panting for breath (did she run here or something?) “You better start stocking those shelves or Keith’s not gonna be very happy.” Which is a lie, Keith couldn’t give less of a shit because it’s Robin and if Steve’s being honest, Keith kinda has a little bit of a thing for her. Which firstly, <em> ew </em> and secondly, he’s never gonna voice that thought out loud because Robin would most likely murder him. </p><p>Instead of firing back with a quick rebuttal, Robin breaths out hard and looks at him, blue eyes wide.</p><p>“Shit- wait is it here?” Steve asks, straightening up. Robin looks back at him nervously before reaching for his arm.</p><p>“What if I don-“ </p><p>“No no, don’t do that to yourself,” Steve says, cutting her off while shaking his head, “C’mon we’ve talked about this, you’ve just gotta rip the bandaid off and open it, Robs.”</p><p>Steve puts his hand on top of hers and breathes in and out signalling for her to follow him. They both grip each other, breathing in and out before Robin let’s go to open her bag. She reaches in and takes the admissions letter out putting it between them on the counter. They both look at each other, then the gaudy lettering spelling out ‘Columbia University’ on the envelope before Robin takes another deep breath and quickly rips it open.</p><p>Steve digs his nails into his palm, suddenly feeling sick. He watches as Robin reads the letter and feels a heavy weight where his heart is supposed to be. He should have seen it coming, he knew it was gonna happen. And he’s happy for her, <em> he is </em> but Steve can't help but feeling like this is just another person in his life who’s leaving him behind. Steve has a sudden urge to scream or cry or <em> something </em> but instead stretches his mouth into a wide grin because he only wants the best for Robin, of course he does.</p><p>All he wants is for her to be happy, she’s his best friend, his first real friend. Steve doesn’t think Robin will ever know just how much he loves her. He’s meant to be like a hero or something, <em>y’know</em> the guy that saves everyone, but if he’s being honest she was the one that saved him.</p><p>“Did you- did you get in?” Steve asks, timidly, after a few moments. He didn’t know his voice could even sound like that.</p><p>Robin looks up at him again and his mouth runs dry. Her hands are scrunching up the letter, he thinks it might tear apart. </p><p>She nods, blinking as if not quiet believing herself. “Yeah I- I got in.” she says, voice hoarse.</p><p>Steve tries for a grin “That’s great! Robin, you’re going to New York like you’ve always wanted!”</p><p>Robin looks down at the letter again, her expression unreadable, “I am going to New York like I’ve always wanted” she repeats, sounding robotic. She’s staring so hard at the letter, Steve thinks she might burn a hole through it.</p><p>“Y-yeah,” Steve says, furrowing his brows, confused at her odd behaviour, “It’s gonna be great, Robs! You’re gonna wake up like right next to the Statue of Liberty, you’ll get to go to that MoMA place you were talking about...oh and the babes! Robin the <em>babes</em>, you’re gonna be like surrounded by other le- well <em>you</em> <em>know</em> and all those nerdy museum-“</p><p>“No.”</p><p>Steve narrows his eyes and looks back at her for the first time in five minutes “....No?” </p><p>Robin tears her eyes away from the letter and looks at him head-on with her fierce blue eyes and Steve thinks ‘<em>oh’ </em>. </p><p>“I- I don’t want to go,” Robin says, furrowing her brows “Steve, I’m looking at this letter and all I’m thinking is that ‘I don’t want to go’”</p><p>“Bu- What?” Steve says, with visible disbelief, “Robin this is all you’ve been talking about- you said you’ve dreamed about this ever since you were a little kid!”</p><p>Robin sighs, “I know what I said,”. She looks around the store, trying to gather her thoughts, “You’re not <em> listening- </em> I...I don’t want to go...alone”</p><p>Steve looks at her sharply, he opens his mouth as if to say something and then shuts it again. A hushed silence falls upon the video store as Steve tries to find his words again.</p><p>“Are you saying that you...” Steve says, pointing at himself. </p><p>Robin huffs, “Yes, dingus. I don’t want to go without...you .” Her words are filled with the familiar annoyance that’s usually directed at him but Steve can see the vulnerability in her face. It makes her look younger, maybe like the kid she once was; or the fresh faced fourteen year old who walked into Hawkins High for the first time and was greeted with Steve ‘The Hair’ Harrington: asshole of the century. She looks unsure. She looks scared. Steve <em> never </em> wants to be the reason she looks like that ever again.</p><p>Robin sucks in a breath and reaches to touch his hand again. “Look Steve, it’ll be... fun . New York is fucking huge, and we could- we could get an apartment together-“</p><p>“Yes.”</p><p>“You could enrol in a community college while I go to Columbia! You could be <em> whatever </em> you wanted to be. We wouldn’t have to give a shit what people think. We could date <em> whoever </em> we wanted, we could go wherever we wanted, we could do anyth- wait did you just fucking say <em> yes </em>?”</p><p>Steve looks at her slack-jawed, “Yes.” </p><p>Robin’s eyes widen, “Yes.” She repeats, nodding slightly.</p><p>“Yes!” Steve repeats louder, expression forming into a smile.</p><p>“YES!” Robin shouts, grinning widely.</p><p>“We’re going to New Fucking York!”</p><p>“Fuck yeah we are!”</p><p>Robin runs over to his side of the counter, laughing. He picks her up and spins her around, both of them laughing like school children. Laughing like they did all the way back in Starcourt. Like everything is funny.</p><p>Steve finally puts her down, both of them still laughing uncontrollably, “We’re gonna score <em> so </em> many chicks in the big apple, Robin, you just wait and see.”</p><p>Robin shakes her head, blue eyes gleaming, Steve’s words sending her into another fit of laughter, “Shut up!”</p><p>Their laughter finally fizzles out and a new type of silence falls upon the video store. But this time, Steve thinks, it’s contented. It’s electric. It’s new. It’s <em> exciting </em>. </p><p>Robin grabs a pen and some paper from the far side of the counter. She sighs happily before looking up at him, “So what are you thinking for-?”</p><p>Steve drops back into his position on the counter, listening to Robin excitedly talk about potential candidates for places to live, rent, types of apartments; and he feels lighter. He feels hopeful in a way he hasn’t in a long time. Robin feels like a breath of fresh air after weeks of cloying smoke, Steve thinks. She makes him want to be someone new, someone better. Someone who isn’t bridled with the knowledge that nothing new will come his way. That he’s destined to be stuck in this endless routine he’s made for himself. Steve thinks that maybe Robin is hope, or like the representation of hope? Or at least something like that, he was never any good at metaphors. But he <em> knows </em> Robin is his other half, his best friend.</p><p>For the first time in what feels like forever, Steve feels like he’s running towards something. It’s kinda like when he ran back into the Byers house three years ago, empty-handed but with his fists raised, ready to fight something with no idea what it was, or when he stood in front of the kids in that junkyard two years ago, wielding his bat ready to die for them if he had to. He’s not stopping to think, he’s just running headfirst into the unknown and he has no idea how he’s gonna come out the other end.</p><p>Except this time, he’s not running towards something dangerous or life-ending. It’s kinda the opposite actually. He’s happy, because this time the place he’s running towards feels something like <em> home </em>.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>look, i just want them to move to new york  together okay skjsbsnkkhb. and if you couldn’t tell already idk anything about nyc or Columbia shhsjsjs but hopefully it makes sense anyway!</p><p>much love to the catsluts on discord who read this and told me what they thot! and to han (@nxncywheeler on tumblr) who beta’d and in her words this fic is just robin being like ‘no himbo no deal’ to the Columbia school-board which...valid. </p><p>anyways i hope u all liked it! tell me what ya thot. if u wanna chat about steve and robin and how their friendship is the most important thing in the world my tumblr is @lovesongmp4<br/>MWAH &lt;333</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>